Jan Hendrik van Kinsbergen

Jan Hendrik van Kinsbergen (1 May 1735-24 May 1819) was an admiral of the United Provinces during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars, also serving in the navy of the Russian Empire during their wars with the Ottoman Empire. Kinsbergen was a proponent of fleet modernization during the late 18th century, and he used his wealth to help in relieving the poor and patronizing arts and sciences.

Biography
Kinsberger was from Doesberg in the Netherlands, the eldest son of a Dutch Navy non-commissioned officer. His original naval career went poorly for the United Provinces, so in 1770 he joined the Russian navy, which was seeking naval experts. William V of Orange, the Stadtholder of the United Provinces, allowed him to leave for Russia, and he defeated the Ottoman Empire navy three times.

In 1776 he re-joined the Dutch naval fleet and was promoted to full captain. In 1781 he served at the Battle of Dogger Bank during the American Revolutionary War, and he was a veteran of several battles against the British Navy during the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War of 1780-1783. In 1789 he refused to become naval commander-in-chief as well as a Russian offer to become Vice Admiral, considering resignation. On 3 March 1793, during the French Revolutionary Wars, he defeated a French attempt to invade Hollands Diep, deciding to remain in the navy. Kinsbergen was kicked out of the navy when the Batavian Republic took power in 1795 with the assistance of the First French Republic, as he was a veteran of the navy under the old regime.

He was reinstated as an admiral by Jan Schimmelpenninck in 1805 during the Napoleonic Wars, and he joined the Dutch Council of State. In 1810, Napoleon had him made Count of Dogger Bank in recognition of his Revolutionary War service against the British, but in 1810 he was demoted to Vice-Admiral after the French took over the Netherlands. He left the navy that year, and he used his vast wealth to assist in naval education, the relief of the poor, and patronizing arts.